In India the knowledge of medicinal plants has been continuously passed on through
generations right from the Vedic period. The earliest and the main source of Ayurved is
Atharvaveda. In the ancient days the sages used to live in gurukuls (traditional schools of
that era) established in secluded areas in forests. They routinely investigated and used
medicinal plants. Their collaborators were inhabitants of nearby villages tending herds in
the forest, who also collected fresh herbs. The medicines prepared from these herbs were
used for treating people. The results were miraculous because the herbs were pure and fresh
collected only after confirming their identity in consultation with the sages. The people
were impressed so much that in course of time Ayurved developed and grew into the first
medical system due to the untiring efforts of great minds like Dhanavantari, Charak, and
Sushrut. It soon progressed to its peak form. It is not hard to believe that at that time
there was no comparable system anywhere else. There is enough evidence from the Vedic
literature and writings of Sushrut, the ancient practitioner of surgery, that the system had
even developed artificial limbs. From India this medical system spread into the neighbouring
countries  Tibet, China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and also to Islamic countries further west.
With time and circumstance it underwent and imbibed many changes and advanced.

The impact of Ayurved on the public mind in India was so profound that even under
Islamic and British rule people retained their faith in it and it was widely practiced
inspite of the negative attitude of the rulers. People in remote areas of the country
depended solely on medicinal herbs for treating diseases because the Greek (Yunani) and
Allopathic medicines were not available. Even today people in remote villages and the
tribals in far-flung areas have great faith in the effectiveness of the medicinal herbs
provided by nature. Rich and vast traditional experience and knowledge of herbs in still
available in villages and tribal areas, but not much consolidated effort has been made to
preserve and disseminate this valuable information. On the other hand it is becoming quite
clear that people are not convinced about the efficacy of allopathic medicines which provide
quick relief but also produce other undesirable effects leading to new problems. Medicinal
herbs do not have such side effects. In addition the cost of the treatment and medicines is
constantly increasing and is burdensome. People are also getting frustrated by the
inordinate delays in getting proper treatment and with the callous behaviour of the doctors
in some cases. Ayurvedic treatment is relatively inexpensive especially for common diseases
like cold, cough, headache, stomach and skin disorders that can be treated with easily
available medicinal herbs. Therefore a thorough knowledge of the herbs and of the methods of
their use becomes all the more important.

The present book provides information about the medicinal use of commonly available
herbs in a simple and easy to understand language. It gives step by step instructions for
using them, which should be followed depending on the nature of the disease and in
consultation with a knowledgeable Ayurved practitioner. The book gives the names of the
herbs in different languages along with Ayurvedic description, chemical composition,
properties, medicinal uses and their coloured photographs. Where possible, we have also
included shlokas pertaining to properties and uses of a particular herb as found in ancient
Ayurvedic texts. The main drawback in producing this type of book is that it becomes very
difficult to identify the herb if a herb is found only in a specific location, the only way
to get it is through a dealer. In such cases it is important to see the parts of the plant
that is used for medicine. To help the reader identity these parts, pictures of the specific
parts of the plant that is used for medicine. To help the reader identify these parts,
pictures of the specific parts of the plant are also given. The doses to be taken are also
given wherever possible. If this information is not given, the Ayurvedic physician should be
consulted before starting medication. Many herbs are available in different varieties, in
which case pictures of all plant species are given.

The decision for bringing out this book was made six years ago but the busy schedule
and a desire to come up with an authoritative and visually appealing book delayed the
completion. Still that desire is not completely fulfilled and we will keep striving towards
that goal. While material from ancient scriptures has been used in the preparation of the
book, inputs from modern day practitioners have also been incorporated for which we are
grateful.

Through this book our aim is to make people aware of important Ayurvedic herbs and
their uses. To facilitate identification, we have tried our best to give photographs of
these herbs and their species as they appear in different seasons. We have also given
photographs of dry from of herbs as they are sold in the market so a layperson can easily
identify them.

For the English edition, we have revised and reworked the contents and have included
many new pictures. I thank Sumegha Agarwal, Dr Kaushal Kumar and Priyata Raghavan for their
dedicated efforts towards finalsing this edition. They have my best wishes and blessings.

It is our sincere hope that the book will help in making the general public more
conscious of Ayurved and thereby increasing the interest in learning about and using the
medicinal herbs. It is quite possible that knowledgeable persons will find some mistakes in
the book. We will appreciate the feedback and suggestions. We will try to incorporate those
in subsequent editions.

Back of the Book

Lack of physical labour, mental stress, negative thinking, imbalanced lifestyle, unnatural
diets and dilution of life-sustaining natural processes has led to the scary rise of cancer,
heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity all over the world.

Nature sustains life. It has cure for all kind of diseases, afflictions mankind is
grappling with. In the absence of much integrated knowledge available about these natural
remedies, people are unable to make good use of the herbal treasure India is endowed
with.

Honourable Acharya Balkrishnaji has worked hard over the years traveling into the
deep jungles, mountain ranges and tribal areas of India and also abroad, collecting and
collating information about many of these herbs, including their photographs and knowledge
of their medicinal uses.

Secrets of Indian Herbs  For Good Health, based on research and experience-based
traditional knowledge of herbs and their medicinal usage, shall prove to be a significant
contribution towards the well-being of the humanity at large. It is a major work making
knowledge of rare herbs easily accessible to all.

My blessings are with the Ayurved exponent and scholar, Acharya Balkrishnaji. I
thank him and applaud him for tireless and exemplary work he has done over the years for the
promotion and preservation of Ayurved and Vedic traditions.

In India the knowledge of medicinal plants has been continuously passed on through
generations right from the Vedic period. The earliest and the main source of Ayurved is
Atharvaveda. In the ancient days the sages used to live in gurukuls (traditional schools of
that era) established in secluded areas in forests. They routinely investigated and used
medicinal plants. Their collaborators were inhabitants of nearby villages tending herds in
the forest, who also collected fresh herbs. The medicines prepared from these herbs were
used for treating people. The results were miraculous because the herbs were pure and fresh
collected only after confirming their identity in consultation with the sages. The people
were impressed so much that in course of time Ayurved developed and grew into the first
medical system due to the untiring efforts of great minds like Dhanavantari, Charak, and
Sushrut. It soon progressed to its peak form. It is not hard to believe that at that time
there was no comparable system anywhere else. There is enough evidence from the Vedic
literature and writings of Sushrut, the ancient practitioner of surgery, that the system had
even developed artificial limbs. From India this medical system spread into the neighbouring
countries  Tibet, China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and also to Islamic countries further west.
With time and circumstance it underwent and imbibed many changes and advanced.

The impact of Ayurved on the public mind in India was so profound that even under
Islamic and British rule people retained their faith in it and it was widely practiced
inspite of the negative attitude of the rulers. People in remote areas of the country
depended solely on medicinal herbs for treating diseases because the Greek (Yunani) and
Allopathic medicines were not available. Even today people in remote villages and the
tribals in far-flung areas have great faith in the effectiveness of the medicinal herbs
provided by nature. Rich and vast traditional experience and knowledge of herbs in still
available in villages and tribal areas, but not much consolidated effort has been made to
preserve and disseminate this valuable information. On the other hand it is becoming quite
clear that people are not convinced about the efficacy of allopathic medicines which provide
quick relief but also produce other undesirable effects leading to new problems. Medicinal
herbs do not have such side effects. In addition the cost of the treatment and medicines is
constantly increasing and is burdensome. People are also getting frustrated by the
inordinate delays in getting proper treatment and with the callous behaviour of the doctors
in some cases. Ayurvedic treatment is relatively inexpensive especially for common diseases
like cold, cough, headache, stomach and skin disorders that can be treated with easily
available medicinal herbs. Therefore a thorough knowledge of the herbs and of the methods of
their use becomes all the more important.

The present book provides information about the medicinal use of commonly available
herbs in a simple and easy to understand language. It gives step by step instructions for
using them, which should be followed depending on the nature of the disease and in
consultation with a knowledgeable Ayurved practitioner. The book gives the names of the
herbs in different languages along with Ayurvedic description, chemical composition,
properties, medicinal uses and their coloured photographs. Where possible, we have also
included shlokas pertaining to properties and uses of a particular herb as found in ancient
Ayurvedic texts. The main drawback in producing this type of book is that it becomes very
difficult to identify the herb if a herb is found only in a specific location, the only way
to get it is through a dealer. In such cases it is important to see the parts of the plant
that is used for medicine. To help the reader identity these parts, pictures of the specific
parts of the plant that is used for medicine. To help the reader identify these parts,
pictures of the specific parts of the plant are also given. The doses to be taken are also
given wherever possible. If this information is not given, the Ayurvedic physician should be
consulted before starting medication. Many herbs are available in different varieties, in
which case pictures of all plant species are given.

The decision for bringing out this book was made six years ago but the busy schedule
and a desire to come up with an authoritative and visually appealing book delayed the
completion. Still that desire is not completely fulfilled and we will keep striving towards
that goal. While material from ancient scriptures has been used in the preparation of the
book, inputs from modern day practitioners have also been incorporated for which we are
grateful.

Through this book our aim is to make people aware of important Ayurvedic herbs and
their uses. To facilitate identification, we have tried our best to give photographs of
these herbs and their species as they appear in different seasons. We have also given
photographs of dry from of herbs as they are sold in the market so a layperson can easily
identify them.

For the English edition, we have revised and reworked the contents and have included
many new pictures. I thank Sumegha Agarwal, Dr Kaushal Kumar and Priyata Raghavan for their
dedicated efforts towards finalsing this edition. They have my best wishes and blessings.

It is our sincere hope that the book will help in making the general public more
conscious of Ayurved and thereby increasing the interest in learning about and using the
medicinal herbs. It is quite possible that knowledgeable persons will find some mistakes in
the book. We will appreciate the feedback and suggestions. We will try to incorporate those
in subsequent editions.

Back of the Book

Lack of physical labour, mental stress, negative thinking, imbalanced lifestyle, unnatural
diets and dilution of life-sustaining natural processes has led to the scary rise of cancer,
heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity all over the world.

Nature sustains life. It has cure for all kind of diseases, afflictions mankind is
grappling with. In the absence of much integrated knowledge available about these natural
remedies, people are unable to make good use of the herbal treasure India is endowed
with.

Honourable Acharya Balkrishnaji has worked hard over the years traveling into the
deep jungles, mountain ranges and tribal areas of India and also abroad, collecting and
collating information about many of these herbs, including their photographs and knowledge
of their medicinal uses.

Secrets of Indian Herbs  For Good Health, based on research and experience-based
traditional knowledge of herbs and their medicinal usage, shall prove to be a significant
contribution towards the well-being of the humanity at large. It is a major work making
knowledge of rare herbs easily accessible to all.

My blessings are with the Ayurved exponent and scholar, Acharya Balkrishnaji. I
thank him and applaud him for tireless and exemplary work he has done over the years for the
promotion and preservation of Ayurved and Vedic traditions.

Testimonials

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Anir, UK

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Om Shanthi

Florence Ambika, USA

I finally got my nearly $300 Meenakari earrings today. They were promised in 4-6 days but it took a week for them to be shipped. Then it was 4-6 days. When I saw them I had mixed feelings. They are cute but it took me a half hour to get them in my ears as the posts are really large in diameter. I had to use vaseline and force them through and then the screw on backs (a good thing) wouldn't line up. There seems to be something inside the screw on locks that act as a securing agent. Any way most of the things I've got from ExoticIndia were gifts and acceptable.